Clipping:Rumor of both teams playing to lose
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| Date | Sunday, July 4, 1875 |
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| Text | The Chicago papers have, of late, been throwing a good deal of dirty water at the home club, and, in their eagerness to destroy the reputation of the players, attempt to cast odium on other clubs, the latest attempt in the direction being a most ungenerous attack upon a member of the Philadelphia Club, in the Chicago Tribune. For the benefit of the individual who wrote the article we beg leave to say that the Philadelphia Club, as at present constituted, is as honorable and honest as any in the arena, not one of whom would descend to the dirty action charged to them. That our readers may see the meanness of the charge, we publish the article in full: “much comment was provided by the result of Thursday’s baseball game, and especially by the errors which lost the game for the White Stockings, as well as those which ought to have lost it for the Philadelphias. So strong was the impression of good judges of the game that something was out of tune, that an investigation was had yesterday, by those interested, to ascertain whether there were any grounds for suspicion of foul play. That investigation has developed some peculiar theories which may be briefly narrated, as follows: after the first game between the Whites and the Philadelphias, it is asserted that a parcel of bunko men, low gamblers, and general disreputables made up a pool to secure the result of Thursday’s game. They raised, it is said, a sum variously estimated at from $300 to $500, and opened negotiations with a player occupying a responsible position in the Philadelphia’s field. The gang, it is claimed, were successful in buying their man, and went at once to work to make the most of the purchase. They bought all the pools they could on the Chicagos, at any and every rate, and were free with offers of all sorts of odds that the Whites would win, putting up freely and confidently. When the nines made their appearance on the ground, the members of the pool were still anxious to bet, and wagered considerable sums after the game began. Their purchase looked promising, and the man whom they had bought performed his share of the work to the best of his ability, making all the wild throws possible, and muffing everything that came to him but there was a hitch in the proceedings. One of the Chicagos learned of the transaction, and, it is said, demanded to be let in. He was refused admittance to the ring, and he at once held a consultation with his friends and with other players of the Chicago nine, and they determined to lose the game for Chicago, and they did it less than two minutes. How much they made is not known–perhaps they made nothing, but were animated solely by a spirit of revenge. It makes no difference about that either way. There is a moral to this story, and it is not very long either. It is in the form of advice to the public like this: If you attend the game to-day, watch it carefully, and if you see any player make five errors on easy throws, demand that he be removed, and if that is not permitted, walk boldly on the field and stop the game. There has been just enough of this suspicious business in baseball in Chicago, and it would be better for the game if the crowd would tear down the fence and stands rather than ever suffer another player to be bought or sold on Chicago ground. |
| Source | New York Sunday Mercury |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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